Hughton: "I have no doubts we'll be ready come that first game of the season."

[Easy 10]

I'll admit I usually have a little more faith and a bit more patience around this time of year when it comes to player recruitment.

But last year was such a horrifically prolongued clusterf%k, I'm finding it much more difficult to just blithely assume that everything's going to be peachy come September 1st. The assurances are all sounding ominously familiar.

 

[The Upper Library]

Two more proper quality signings (striker and either winger or CB) and I will be happy. Without jumping the gun I have a feeling that the Spanish jock may well turn out to be our best signing since Bobby Z. Trouble is at this moment in time it is more hope than reality.

 

[sir albion]

I have to agree. I've not consistently enjoyed watching the Albion play since Poyet. Garcia came close maybe once or twice during his entire time here, and as for Sami.. not in the same league. I expect Hughton's Brighton to be different. I'm expecting a more resilient and hardworking team that's stronger in the tackle. It's won't be as beautiful as Poyet's-era* but nothing can be as dull as what Garcia served up.

Things are changing, that's for sure. After OG and SH, it's almost certainly for the better.

*Love him or hate him he's produced the pinnacle of Albion-footballing-style for many, many years.

Mostly turgid boring football under poyet although around 6/7 games we were very very good over a couple of seasons but rarely won...rubbish away from home mostly.League 1 was very good although that was league 1 after all.
The annoying thing is we're stuck in a time warp of boring tippy tappy football with no end product and it seems bloom wants this dire football as getting the right attacking players seems near on impossible.
Give me watfords,bounemouths,derbys football any day over our negative depressing football in which puts supporters to sleep.
If you enjoyed poyets football then fair enough,but I was put to sleep as it was so so predictable it was unreal.

If we're ever going to progress then we need to focus on scoring goals and having more than one player in the box isn't going to get you anywhere.This season is goner be ridiculously tough and a relegation battle beckons sadly.
I hope I'm wrong and we have a super season,but our squad is dire considering we have a £23 million wage bill.
Poor recruitment and negative tactics is making poyet look good...that's the size of it.

 

[Icy Gull]

I have prepared myself for a season of being also rans. Hopefully we will play some decent football and score more goals than last year but I am totally underwhelmed with our current strike force. We have added an unknown quantity, a development squad unknown quantity and got rid of a League One striker but are so lightweight upfront that expectations have to be just survival until we actually sign some more quality. Where are the balls in to the box coming from? 30 minute Kaz and sick note March? Hardly inspiring and I'm not yet willing to pin my hopes on an 18 year old with no League experience who also happens to be injured and not in contention for a couple of months.

 

[Stat Brother]

I have prepared myself for a season of being also fans. Hopefully we will play some decent football and score more goals than last year but I am totally underwhelmed with our current strike force.

I can't even begin to imagine scoring less goals than last year.

If that happens I may well have to backtrack and pray for the return of Gardener and his pre-goal kick 20 yarders.

 

[spence]

I'll admit I usually have a little more faith and a bit more patience around this time of year when it comes to player recruitment.

But last year was such a horrifically prolongued clusterf%k, I'm finding it much more difficult to just blithely assume that everything's going to be peachy come September 1st. The assurances are all sounding ominously familiar.

It's how i feel mate. In fact i feel deflated already about the season ahead. Its our first summer with no manager changes either and yet it's the same tiresome saga of recruiting players.

Both Boro and Derby don't receive parachute payments and are firm favorites with the bookies. They don't appear to have trouble bringing in players.

 

[Icy Gull]

It's how i feel mate. In fact i feel deflated already about the season ahead. Its our first summer with no manager changes either and yet it's the same tiresome saga of recruiting players.

Both Boro and Derby don't receive parachute payments and are firm favorites with the bookies. They don't appear to have trouble bringing in players.

Brentford who had a storming season completed their 8th signing today, I think Tony's old business partner will be rubbing his nose in it again this season whilst running a club who should be nowhere near us in terms of attractiveness given the facilities and crowds.

How do these other teams build exciting looking teams whilst we stumble along almost akin to the Withdean years in attractiveness to players?

 

[Icy Gull]

I can't even begin to imagine scoring less goals than last year.

If that happens I may well have to backtrack and pray for the return of Gardener and his pre-goal kick 20 yarders.

We haven't really addressed the issue though have we, so no guarantees. Maybe you can tell me where the goals are coming from?

 

[Acker79]

This is everything that is wrong with NSC. There's no debate. If you're not in the in crowd and attacking the club, you get abuse like this. It's pathetic.

I don't think that's quite right. It's not about being in the 'in group'. Nor is it one way - there are plenty of people rushing to throw the 'bedwetter' tag around to anyone who says anything remotely negative, or dismiss concerns over the last 11.5 months of football as being based on one result.

As I've said before, the problem is that a lot of people (on both sides) refuse to see nuance or complexity. If people want to see only negativity to put themselves over as better fans due to their positivity, they will and will ignore any qualifying remarks. If people want to see only positivity and put themselves over as better fans because of their concern and willingness to not blindly follow the club line, they will and will ignore the qualifying negativity.

Try watching what you're seeing. That season was TURGID.

Yeah, I don't think I've seen a more swollen or pompous season.

When is it the fans forum? Could see melt down on here if Bloom says he expects a top 6 finish

I think we'll see a big signing or a couple of the decent signings in time for the forum.

 

[Stat Brother]

I don't have a problem with what other clubs are doing, and how they are spending their money/debt.
There's no relevance in that until the New Year, or more likely April.

We all know how the club is being run and would be run with or without FFP, that is just a handy distraction.

Tony's not a bottomless pit, he's not blank chequing the business, he's done all he can to get it self financing in the future.


What I do have a problem with is the bulk of last seasons inept performances in front of goal.
Performances that didn't improve under Hughton, and quite possibly got worse.

The club has had the best part of 7 months to do something about it, and so far all they've produced is the odd Mr Bump sticking plaster, and yet more kids.

The thought of having a great team in 5 years is fantastic, but the thought of them playing away to Mansfield is less appetising.

 

[Stat Brother]

We haven't really addressed the issue though have we, so no guarantees. Maybe you can tell me where the goals are coming from?

#fingersinearslalalala

 

[Icy Gull]

#fingersinearslalalala

Keep the faith (again) until 01 September is your best bet

 

[Igzilla]

It's a fine line to walk. If one has "the faith" in the club, then if the performances don't go our way, there'll be mitigating circumstances, flukey goals, inspired goalkeepers et al.

If one already believes the team is not good enough before the first ball is kicked in earnest, it sets up a powder keg, ready to go off after the first bad result, with abuse and boos bringing a squad low on confidence even lower and becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.

No one wants to fail and no one sets out to fail - I'm sure TB and CH are not intending that, CH is an experienced manager who inherited a dog's breakfast of a team. A January transfer window where he probably hadn't got to grips with all the "talent" he had at his disposal and one (as yet unfinished) summer transfer window is not enough time to get a league busting, promotion winning squad, surely? Maybe it's us who also need to review our expectations for the season?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Keep the faith (again) until 01 September is your best bet

You are being quite positive these days

 

[LamieRobertson]

When is it the fans forum? Could see melt down on here if Bloom says he expects a top 6 finish

Night before the Forest game I think

 

[RexCathedra]

Maybe it's us who also need to review our expectations for the season?

90 points and promotion, every year.
That's not too much to ask, is it?

(I sometimes think the double promotion years have left more of an impression on people than all of the rest of the team's history this century. With deleterious effect.)

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

You are being quite positive these days

Getting ticket for Seville match-----where are you sitting

Whoops wrong thread

 

[Guerrero]

Expectations??

v Forest I expect a loss and would take a draw (0-0 probably) now.

I just hope we can stay up and stay as high as we can until we get a Chairman and Manager capable of fulfilling our dreams.

 

[Working class pride]

Why do you say that. Palace and plenty of other sides have just staved off relegation one season and then got promoted the next. Time is certainly no excuse. The club have had time. It's about money available and how they spend it. No patience will be given because none is required, just look at the lot at Selhurst scrapping around with 11,000 paying punters plus freebies, fighting off relegation, going bust and hey presto, next season getting promoted. My expectations for the Albion are the expectations you have for a side who who will get between 24,000 to 30,000 to watch them every week in the Championship and that is promotion. I however also fully "expect" the Albion to make a dogs breakfast of it because this club never does live up to its potential.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

It's a fine line to walk. If one has "the faith" in the club, then if the performances don't go our way, there'll be mitigating circumstances, flukey goals, inspired goalkeepers et al.

If one already believes the team is not good enough before the first ball is kicked in earnest, it sets up a powder keg, ready to go off after the first bad result, with abuse and boos bringing a squad low on confidence even lower and becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.

No one wants to fail and no one sets out to fail - I'm sure TB and CH are not intending that, CH is an experienced manager who inherited a dog's breakfast of a team. A January transfer window where he probably hadn't got to grips with all the "talent" he had at his disposal and one (as yet unfinished) summer transfer window is not enough time to get a league busting, promotion winning squad, surely? Maybe it's us who also need to review our expectations for the season?

Good post.